Democrat Party era Ankara (1950-1960)

This thesis examines the demography, history, municipal activities, and the social, economic, administrative, and cultural structure of Ankara during the period from 1950 to 1960. It also investigates the city's conditions in terms of sports, traffic, and public order. Although Ankara has a deep-rooted history, it underwent a major transformation following the proclamation of the Republic and its designation as the capital. As the seat of political authority, Ankara played a central role in shaping the newly established Republic into a modern state. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, along with the state leadership, directed the development of the city within the framework of national policy. In this regard, one of the most significant transformations in Ankara's history occurred between 1950 and 1960. During this period, outward-oriented policies in transportation, trade, the economy, politics, and culture led to substantial changes in Ankara's social structure, shaping the city's core dynamics in the decades that followed. However, while this rapid development over a ten-year span contributed to the growth of the capital, it also brought about numerous structural challenges. The main aim of this study is to identify the transformations that occurred in Ankara during the 1950–1960 period, examine their impacts, and explore the solutions sought to address the problems that arose. The Democrat Party era enabled political and social developments to be followed from a variety of political perspectives through the press. Accordingly, the period's press constitutes one of the primary sources of this research. In addition, archival documents and records of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) also play a significant role in the study. Although there are various studies focusing on the 1950–1960 period, the lack of a comprehensive work that addresses Ankara in all its aspects makes this research a valuable contribution to the existing literature.